Centrica group profits fall 35pc to £1.03bn amid problems across the energy
giant

British Gas household energy supply profits fell by more than a quarter, to £265m, in the first six months of 2014 as customers turned down their heating in the mild weather.

Profits across the energy giant slumped by 35pc, to £1.03bn, on an adjusted operating profits basis, amid a catalogue of woes including exceptionally cold weather in North America and loss-making gas-fired power plans in the UK.

Gas consumption by British Gas customers fell 24pc in the first half of the year and electricity usage fell by 9pc, the company said.

Centrica reiterated that it did not plan to "change" British Gas energy prices this year - despite pressure from regulator Ofgem and consumer groups to cut tariffs in the wake of falling wholesale energy costs.

The company risked further angering critics by trumpeting the fact that "British Gas expects customer bills to fall by an average of £90" this year, despite the fact the fall is caused by customers using less energy and that the supplier's prices are actually higher than last year.

The results are Mr Laidlaw's last as chief executive of the company, which he has run since 2006. Centrica announced earlier this week that Mr Laidlaw would be succeeded by BP veteran Iain Conn from January 1.

Nick Luff, Centrica finance director, resigned in January after being poached to take on the same role at Reed Elsevier. Centrica said on Thursday that Mr Luff would leave the company on August 31 and be replaced temporarily by Jeff Bell, Centrica corporate finance director, while the group continues its search for a permanent replacement.

Chris Weston, British Gas boss, handed in his notice in May to take up the top job at Aggreko and a replacement is yet to be found.

Yesterday energy regulator Ofgem said its latest estimates showed that the profit margins of a typical large energy supplier would double in the next 12 months, to £106 per household from £53 in the previous 12 months.

The regulator said the widening margins showed there was "something wrong" and that suppliers would be cutting prices if competition was working properly.

Centrica also announced it was scrapping its last remaining offshore wind farm proposal, the Celtic Array in the Irish Sea, and booked a £40m write-down as a result.